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Tiger Woods arrives at PGA for practice round

Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY Sports
6:30 p.m. CDT August 6, 2014

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Tiger Woods of the United States hits an approach shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky.(Photo: Andy Lyons Getty Images)

He was greeted by 20 video and still photographers in the parking lot who followed him to the driving range and then first tee.

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Rickie Fowler of the United States signs his autograph for a fan during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Jeff Gross Getty Images)

BLAIRGOWRIE, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 06: Paul Jones of Canford Magna Golf Club putts on the 17th green during day two of the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship at Blairgowrie Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Blairgowrie, Scotland. (Photo: Tony Marshall Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: (L-R) Notah Begay III and Tiger Woods of the United States shake hands on the practice range during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Jeff Gross Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Ryan Palmer of the United States jokingly poses for photograph as Tiger Woods of the United States crosses a bridge during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) (Photo: Jeff Gross Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Tiger Woods of the United States leads players and caddies across a bridge during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Jeff Gross Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Victor Dubuisson of France hits a tee shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andrew Redington Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Martin Kaymer of Germany watches his tee shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andrew Redington Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Harris English of the United States hits an approach shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andy Lyons Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: J. B. Holmes of the United States chips to a green during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Sam Greenwood Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Joost Luiten of Netherlands chips to a green during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Sam Greenwood Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Tiger Woods of the United States and Harris English of the United States walk across a bridge during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andy Lyons Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Henrik Stenson of Sweden hits a shot from a greenside bunker during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andrew Redington Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Henrik Stenson of Sweden hits a shot from a greenside bunker during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andrew Redington Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Martin Kaymer of Germany hits a tee shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andrew Redington Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits a tee shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Warren Little Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Martin Kaymer of Germany hits a shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andrew Redington Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Gareth Bryn Lord is seen on a green with Henrik Stenson of Sweden during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andrew Redington Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Lee Westwood of England putts during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Sam Greenwood Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Danny Willett of England walks with his caddie during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Sam Greenwood Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Martin Kaymer of Germany hits a shot as Henrik Stenson of Sweden looks on during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andrew Redington Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Harris English of the United States hits a shot from a greenside bunkerduring a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Jeff Gross Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Davis Love III of the United States hits a shot from a greenside bunker during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andy Lyons Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Tiger Woods of the United States hits a shot from a greenside bunker during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Jeff Gross Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: (L-R) Tiger Woods of the United States and sports agent Mark Steinberg walk across a bridge during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andy Lyons Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Harris English of the United States hits a tee shot uring a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Jeff Gross Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Steve Stricker of the United States hits a tee shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Jeff Gross Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Davis Love III of the United States hits a tee shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Jeff Gross Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Tiger Woods of the United States chips to a green during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Andy Lyons Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - AUGUST 06: Tiger Woods of the United States walks up a fairway during a practice round prior to the start of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on August 6, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo: Jeff Gross Getty Images)

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He hit balls for 35 minutes and is playing his practice round with Davis Love III, Steve Stricker and Harris English.

Stricker was named an assistant Ryder Cup captain today.

Woods teed off on No. 1 and appeared to be in no apparent pain on either his drive or his approach.

While no decision has yet to be announced about his playing status for the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, it's unlikely Woods would have traveled from South Florida to the Blue Grass State if he's not going to play.

Woods reinjured his back Sunday in the final round of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club.

After hitting a shot with an awkward stance just outside the lip of a bunker on the second hole, with all of his weight on his right leg, Woods fell backwards and landed right-leg first with a thud in the bunker. He played on but hit some shocking shots, including a mid-iron he chucked on the par-3 fifth that came up 65 yards short. He withdrew after hitting his drive on the ninth hole.

Since Woods won his 14th and last major in the 2008 U.S. Open, he's finished in the top-10 nine times in 19 starts in majors. But he hasn't played in six others due to injuries.

Woods has until the first tee time Thursday to enter the tournament, which he won here in 2000. Woods is paired in the first two rounds with Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington. They will tee off at 8:35 a.m.

If Woods does not play, he could be done for the season. Unless he plays and wins next week's Wyndham Championship, Woods won't be eligible for the FedExCup Playoffs. And he would have to be one of U.S. captain Tom Watson's three discretionary picks to play in the Ryder Cup Sept. 26-28 at Gleneagles in Scotland.

After playing four tournaments this year, Woods had back surgery March 31. The Bridgestone Invitational was his third tournament since returning to competitive golf. After hitting a shot with an awkward stance just outside the lip of a bunker on the second hole, Woods fell backwards and landed with a thud in the bunker. He played on but hit some shocking shots, including a mid-iron he chucked on the par-3 fifth that came up 65 yards short.

Watson watched Woods on Sunday.

"As I've said all along, I would pick Tiger Woods if he's healthy and playing well. This doesn't bode well right now," Watson told SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio. "I just hope that maybe it's an isolated problem that he can turn around and possibly play this week at the PGA.

" … I watched him play almost the entire front nine. And the shot he had at 5 ... I said, 'Something's wrong with Tiger.' You don't hit that terrible a shot ever – ever. And then, of course, No. 9, he just couldn't go any farther. It concerns me because that's an injury that seems like he tried to address before and he's come back from that particular injury."